Open Heart Surgery to replace my Ascending Aorta

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Thursday June 25, 2020
Four-thirty came early as my alarm indicated that I needed to take a shower and wash with chlorhexidine gluconate soap before my surgery. I had a difficult time falling asleep in our hotel room the night before, mainly due to the lack of control I had with putting my family in this fearful position.  We opted to stay in Seattle prior the surgery rather than getting up at 3am in Olympia and driving up.

Wednesday afternoon we drove to USMC to take my third COVID-19 test (negative!) at a drive-by clinic. Afterward I went a pre-anesthesia appointment to have a doctor look at my throat. It had been irritated from the breathing tube a week ago from my first surgery. Finally, we went to my cardiology appointment with Dr. Aldea to sign consent paperwork and go over sternal precautions post-surgery. We ordered Indian food and enjoyed an early night in the hotel room drifting off to the Discovery Channel. 

Chuck drove us to the hospital and I was admitted around 5:30am.  My incredible husband opted not to go back to the hotel to sleep a few more hours but rather stay at the hospital and distract himself for the next 12 hours. A few nurses came in to start an IV line in my arm and then the anesthesia team wheeled me to the operating room. It was much more congested with machines encompassing me. I quickly went back to "sleep" as they placed the oxygen mask on my face.

heart-lung machine

 
In order to replace the damaged portion of my ascending aorta with a Dacron (woven polyester) graft, the surgeons stopped my heart from beating so they could perform the repair in a motionless and bloodless field. This was achieved by using a heart-lung bypass machine, where it took over my heart's function and maintained my circulation. My body temperature was lowered significantly to induce a deep medical hypothermia. The surgeons were able to spare my aortic root! This was a concern because over time my body had changed my tricuspid valve to a bicuspid, which increases the changes of heart complications. 

aorta replacement                  aorta replacement
 
The surgeon called my husband at 1pm to let him know there had been no complications, everything thing went well, I was headed to Cardiothoracic ICU, and I would be coming out of anesthesia in a few hours. 

post OHS
I had read alarming accounts of people waking up with breathing tubes in their throats and becoming alarmed so I did my best to remember to stay calm when "coming to". Around 5:30pm I first heard two nurses explaining to Chuck that I would have the ventilator taken out once I woke. Hearing this made me think that I could sleep a while longer before having to experience that, but I soon became conscious enough that I could notice how uncomfortable the tube was in my throat. 

I struggled to open my 100 lb. eyelids and unsuccessfully tried to move my hands. Immediately I heard Chuck explain that they had restrained my arms and that I needed to breath slowly in order to have my breathing tube removed. I followed his directions and suddenly was able to ask for ice water. It was incredibly relieving to wake up post-surgery! I became very social with the nurses by making jokes and telling them that I loved them for taking care of me. My energy didn't last long and I soon was asleep again. I was unabashedly thankful for a successful procedure performed by supreme surgeons, compassionate nurses watching over me, a helpful husband, and a remarkable support team of family and friends to care for me through this medical adventure! 

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